Morning journal and courier., 1887-08-09
of steam fans on the principle of those used in blast furnaces"
 "How will they be stopped-speed be

of steam fans on the principle of those used in blast furnaces"
 "How will they be stopped-speed be checked?"
 f'On half tubes of the proper length As tube approaches it's terminus branches or arteries for the passage of air currents only can connect with the companion tube, and thus the force be communicated from one to another. This is something of importance, and its utility will be proved of value for the conservation of power on short lines. The tubes must be large enough to admit of passengers of course, yet small possible. I would have individuals sit tandem, one ahead of the other you see. Frictiona That would be prevented by ball bearings-neces- sary appliances. The motion would hardly be perceptible to the passenger. It is hard to speculate upon the speed attainable. One hundred miles an hour would be the easiest thing in the world; one thousand miles an hour is not impossible with polished steel surface for tube lining, and exterior friction we could provide for. The speed, owing to the curvature of the earth's surface, will tend to overcome all weight and make the pressure greatest on the upper portion of the tube when running at maximum speed. Think of going to London in such way and in such time as that. Yet it is no wild theo- ". A cannon ball for instance would pierce the air, but @ car such as I describe would not; in fact it would not move as fast as the
 
 possesses advantages over the railways. Tenn perature within the tube can be regulated perfectly by currents of air heated or cooled. No jar will wear out the nerves of the pas sengers or contact wear the car. There can- not possibly be collisions. No loss of power through exhaust with the locomotive. No army of employees to keep it in repair. No expensive purchase of right of way or con- struction of tunnels, bridges, etc. One who carefully considers the subject cannot fail to see the advantages. Simplicity and economy are apparent"
 Earthquakes, do you says I have thought of that. I do not think danger is to be ap- prehended from that score. One point that worried me great deal was how to prevent l parting, but that has been solved You are right in supposing the expense of laying such a line would be considerable, but not as much as will be at first imagined It will cost less than the sum for which a railroad ! can be laid and equipped"
 Colonel Pierce said that it would not cost very large sum to build an experimental | line for short distance, say few miles, He looks to get capitalists interested in his plans sufficiently to put in the necessary funds to do this. The plan proposed would Ee an ex- pensive one, however. It would be necessa- ry to partially manufacture it as laid. Iron would be first used, and the pipe in sections as long as could be conveniently handled. When put together wire netting would be woye around it. This would have to be con- tinuous. Another netting outside these two, ] prepared in similar way, and others still around these, until sufficiently strong as to maintain the tubing beyond the possibility of | parting. The whole should be filled with ] one of the many cheap gummy substances that would protect from water.